The One With The Videos
by DivineMissKiwi
Summary: Based around Chandler and Rachel. This is my first fic, so its not very good! :)


OK, this is my first attempt at a fanfic, but I'm sure that'll be obvious J And any R&R or C&M fans out there (I'm one of them!) please don't be offended by this, the only reason I have ever come up with for me liking these characters together is that the actors are my fav's on the show. Other than that, I don't think they'd work. To make it less complicated, I've pretended Monica and Chandler never got together. But I ramble… please be gentle in reviews! J

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The One With The Videos

By DivineMissKiwi

Chandler stood up onto his toes to try and get a hint of fresh air – or at least air that hadn't been used by the hundreds of other commuters that were on their way home that Thursday night. The subway was full to overflowing, meaning Chandler was lucky to even have standing room in the crowded carriage. After a short struggle to pull his hand out from between a guy and a girl – he had no idea how it got there or what they were doing, not that he wanted to know – he checked his watch. 6.15pm. "I should have walked" he thought. He usually did, but it had started pouring with rain the minute he left work, and since Joey had his jacket and umbrella while he was visiting his sisters, he decided that the train was a much better option. Obviously, it had been a while since he last took the subway; he'd forgotten that the reason he didn't take it in the first place was the huge, dirty, pushing crowds. He let out a sigh when it was announced over the intercom that the next stop was the one before his. Not long to go. His mind wandered to planning out his night, but he couldn't get past crashing in his lazy-boy and taking in some must-see TV. "How exciting. I'm not dead, yet I have no life" he moaned to himself, but was cut off in his thoughts by a handful of people pushing past him to get out the door. He felt a strong, unmistakably male hand grab his butt, and he turned to the offender faster than Ian Thorpe in the pool. "Hey! What the…" but the guy had already gone and he was hit by a sudden rush of whiplash. But no time for that. There was the possibility of a seat waiting! He glanced over the dull crowd before seeing a familiar face shining out at him.

Observing this from a short distance, a petite, golden blond woman had a little giggle to herself, before moving into action before the seat beside her was taken. 

"Bing! Get your arse over here now!" Rachel called, as Chandler bounded over to her, almost knocking over two passengers in the process, not that he really cared after his horrible day. 

"Ohhhhhh yeah" he exhaled as he sunk into the relative safety and comfort of the seat.

"Long day huh?" Rachel asked.

"Like you wouldn't believe. Any thing that could go wrong did. I'm lucky to have gotten out of there alive."

Rachel smiled at her friends joke. Although her day hadn't been that bad, she knew how he felt. 

"All day I've been focusing on going home and totally veging out on the couch. The fact that I'm on this train shows you how tired I am" she explained. Rachel hated the train – or any public transport – with passion. But she just didn't have the energy to walk home today, whether it was raining or not. 

Chandler had an idea. "Feel like stopping by Blockbuster on the way home and picking up a couple of videos? We can grab some popcorn, some beers, make a night of it. It'll be fun!" For some reason Chandler felt as if he had to convince Rachel to come over. He put it down to his never ending insecurities, even when around his friends. He felt a small sense of relief come over him when Rachel smiled and nodded yes.

"Sure, why not? Two's company, after all" she replied.

"I don't know what Suzsane Summers would have to say about that" Chandler quipped back, as they felt the train come to a slow stop. Checking that he has his briefcase and that Rachel had hers, he escorted his friend through the shrinking crowd, out the door and onto the platform, clearing a path as best he could, which amused Rachel a little.

"You know, as little rich girl as I am, you don't have to lay out the red carpet for me! After six years in the city, I've kinda gotten used to there being other people here" she smiled, "but its nice to see there is a small trace of chivalry left in the world."

"Hahaha, why thank you madam. Now, shall we proceed? Doing nothing awaits" he announced as he led Rachel by the hand, not wanting to loose her, up the stairs and onto the street. "I'm positive its raining even harder than it was" Chandler thought to himself as he pulled Rachel in under shelter. He spotted the bright blue Blockbuster sign through the rain, and he turned to Rachel to point it out just as she was pulling out an umbrella that was clearly made only for someone her size. 

"You'd be better off with a bunch of pencils!" he noted to Rachel, having to yell over the crashing rain. She put the umbrella up, and surprised Chandler a little by handing it over to him. She made up an excuse for herself. "I've gotta wash my hair anyway." Although she didn't have a jacket on, she didn't want his day to get any worse. He tried in vain to hand it back, but Rachel was stubborn, and he had spotted a gap in the traffic. "Lets go!" he yelled in Rachel's direction, without taking his eyes off the oncoming traffic. Caught off guard, Rache1 was a few steps behind Chandler before she finally stepped off the sidewalk. As Chandler reached behind him to grab Rachel's hand, he realised she wasn't there, and swinging around faster than he had done on the train, he found her just catching up to him. Finding themselves standing in the middle of the street, Chandler pulled Rachel in close with one arm, trying his best to cover her with the umbrella he was holding in the other hand, and ran with her to the cover of the video store. Both slightly out of breath, they laughed off their "near death" experience before Chandler realised he was still holding Rachel tightly around the waist. He quickly let go and started to look at the video covers. "So, ahhhh, what takes your fancy?" he asked awkwardly before Rachel could say anything about him holding her. The thought crossed her mind that perhaps there was something more to it, but her mind was sidetracked when she spotted something on one of the shelves.

"Oh! We have _got_ to get this!" Rachel exclaimed, running up to a stand behind Chandler. He turned to see what had caught her eye.

"Let me guess? You love it because it teaches great lessons in robbing stores and murder?" he said as he peered over her shoulder and read the back of _Thelma and Louise_ with her. As interesting as he found Brad Pitt, he suddenly couldn't help but notice how good Rachel smelled. Taking in a deep breath, he wondered how she had managed to avoid the terrible subway smell that he was sure would stick to him for the next week. The soft coconut smell relaxed his entire body, as he watched Rachel read over the cover, he couldn't help but think that her eyes were the most amazing thing he'd seen. They were a sharp blue/green, and seemed to have a playful yet seductive look to them. She turned to him and looked into his eyes. He looked deep into her eyes and felt as if he were seeing her for the first time.

"What'd ya think?" Rachel asked, snapping Chandler out of his bubble.

"Oh, sure. Yeah. So long as we can get _Die Hard _too" he mumbled.

"Hmmmm, I dunno!" 

Chandler made a pout look at her. "You're the only one I'd let get away with that, you know!" she responded. He did his little happy dance and went off to look for the video, taking one last look at her as she continued to browse. Her hair was word long, and was soaking wet like the rest of her from the rain. She had on a deep red suit (writers note: I'm trying to think of the one she wore in TOW the Yeti), with a white shirt, which looked amazing on her. "Wait a minute" he thought. He didn't really just look at Rachel like that, did he? He started to freak, knowing he shouldn't be thinking of one of his best friends in a sexual way, but something had come across him. He and Rachel had never really been that close, but they did share similar backgrounds – rich, divorced families that they didn't have much contact with and they both worked in the corporate world. OK, so they weren't that similar in their lives, but he still found himself looking for excuses to be with her. "This is crazy," he said to no one in particular. She was Rachel from across the hall. More importantly, she was Ross' Rachel, despite the fact that he had clearly moved on years ago, the thought of what he might do was enough for Chandler to fight the thought out of his mind.

After fumbling with the slippery keys, Chandler finally found the right one, he opened his apartment door and held it open for Rachel. She stepped inside, and put her bag on the counter. Chandler closed the door behind her, and locked the safety chain. Realising they were both dripping wet, he ran into the bathroom and did his best to find two dry towels, but being a guys apartment, he could only find one, so he walked out into the kitchen again to hand it to Rachel, only to find her leaving.

"Wh-wh-where ya goin'?" he stutered.

"Oh just home to check the messages and tell Monica where I am. You know she gets worried."

Although he didn't really want to, he knew that he had to ask, it was only polite. "Tell Monica she can come over if she wants to." Not that he didn't like Mon, of course he did, he just felt like spending the evening with Rachel.

"Oh, she with Ross at their parents, its Judy's birthday I think. They're not coming back till the weekend. I've never known Mon to be so disorganized, she only called me at work today to tell me she was going." Chandler felt relieved. As he watched her go, he tried again to shake the thoughts he had been having out of his head but they were becoming stronger in his head. He needed a quick relief, so he checked his messages.

A couple of minutes later, Rachel returned – hair brush and change of clothes in hand. Chandler was sitting on one of the bar stools waiting for his machine tape to rewind. She noticed he was still stilling in his soaking clothes. He was wearing a dark navy suit, so she could still see where it was soaked in water, with a lighter blue shirt and a cream tie. Rachel put her things down next to her bag and the videos, picked up the towel, walked behind him and started to dry off his hair, running the soft fabric through it. Once it wasn't sopping wet, Rachel got Chandler to turn around so he was facing her and she slowly ran her hands through his hair to spike it up. "I love your hair like that" Rachel said, but Chandler had hardly heard her. He found himself looking into her eyes again, like he did in the video shop. He looked so deeply into her eyes it could have been the last thing he ever saw and he would have died a happy man. He soaked in the feeling every time Rachel touched his head, and as she stood up she softly grazed his cheek with her hand which mad Chandler quiver inside.

"Perfect" Rachel said, softly pinching his nose as she reached around him to take her clothes and get changed. You should get out of those too, you know," she said as she pulled at his tie. "You'll catch a cold." He just stared at her. "Chandler?" she said to see if he was paying attention.

"Yeah, I don't want a cold. I should get changed huh?"

"Now there's an idea!" Rachel laughed as she walked into the bathroom, and Chandler went into his room.

Ten minutes after Chandler, Rachel entered the living room, having changed into some blue Nike tracks and a plain black baby-t. Chandler was wearing loose fitting jeans, a white t-shirt and a green sweater. Although Rachel had brushed her hair, she had left it long so it could dry. She walked up to the empty chair and flopped onto it, feeling as if she didn't have the strength to get up again if she had to. Looking over at Chandler, she asked which video first. Knowing she'd want to watch her movie first, he stood up to put it in, but Rachel suggested they watch _Die Hard_, since she didn't think she'd make it through either movie by that stage. Taking up her offer, he popped the video in.

Despite his love for the movie, he found himself looking at Rachel more often than was safe. Or at least trying to. She kept catching his gaze, and smiling back at him. The first time he felt the need for an excuse, but he didn't bother anymore. He was positive Rachel wouldn't think anything of it, and it appeared she didn't.

Rachel tried her best to watch the TV, but even the Bruce Willis factor couldn't keep her eyes on the screen. The brightness of the TV set and the darkness of the room meant she had to look away sometimes, her sore eyes starting to let her fall asleep. Every now and then she would look across at Chandler and find him looking at her. One time she just gazed right back, taking in his amazing blue eyes, which she could still see clearly despite the darkness. Parts of his hair and face glistened in the light from the TV, he must have still had water on him. She felt the need to go over and wipe it off with her hand, just so she could touch his soft skin again. When she had been fixing his hair, she accidentally touched his face and was so amazed at how soft it was and at the feeling it gave her she knew she had to do it again. But, it was Chandler. Chandler from across the hall, Chandler the one-liner guy who was perpetually single, despite being so sweet, smart, funny and incredibly sexy. "Oh my…. I didn't really just think that, did I? It must be my mind, I've had a long day, its just playing tricks on me" she thought, but another look at Chandler confirmed that she did. So she had to get out. Now. She wouldn't let herself have sexual feelings for one of her friends again. She was so happy that she and Ross had finally gone back to actually being friends that she couldn't screw it up now, even if they were just thoughts. She pulled herself out of the chair, slowly moving towards the door.

"Hey, where ya goin'?" Chandler asked, surprised.

"I'd better go home before I fall asleep in your chair, I'd regret that in the morning."

"Oh, ok." Chandler replied, deflated. "Come on then." He walked past her and over to the door, which he unlocked and opened for her. "I'll come over in the morning, I'll walk you to work if you want."

"That'd be nice, thanks Chandler." She didn't want to come off unnatural, so she gave him a quick hug, which they both secretly longed would last longer. Breaking the hug, Rachel walked over to her door, unlocked it, turned back to Chandler, who was leaning against the edge of his door, and mouthed "goodnight", to which he did the same. Just as both of them were about to close their doors behind them, Rachel cried out.

"My bag!"

"What?" Chandler asked, opening his door again a little surprised.

"Oh, I'd better get my bag, it's got my phone in it." Rachel explained. "It's just over there, on your counter." Rachel said as Chandler let her back in to get it. She walked across the kitchen to get it, and Chandler followed behind her slowly. She opened up her bag, just to check it was in there. 

"Is it in there?" Chandler asked, standing close behind her. Suddenly she could feel the very gentle touch of Chandler's hands on her hips, which made her jump a little. He felt unease at her reaction, so he quickly removed his hands. She spun around and was about to ask Chandler what that was about when she was cut off. He couldn't take it any more. He felt his body melt at the sight of her and without thought he took her by the hips again, this time from the front, and pulled her body against his, and kissed her like he didn't know he could. Guided by the feel of their bodies together, Rachel, who was shocked by Chandler's sudden passion, started to sink into the kiss, placing her hands around the back of his neck to pull him closer. As Chandler's confidence built by Rachel's reaction, he slowly slipped his tongue between her soft lips and he started to massage her tongue. Rachel ran her fingers up through his hair, wanting as much of Chandler's warm, soft mouth as she could get, moving her hands onto his gorgeous face as he did the same to her. As the kiss became more passionate and intense, both of them knew that they had to end it there before things went any further. Slowly, and reluctantly, they parted, and with amazing desire gazed into each other's eyes once more.


End file.
